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December 11, 2008

Police: Violence victim hit by tow fee

by Sam Savage

A domestic violence victim in Wilsonville, Ore., was charged a fee by a tow truck driver for parking in a fire lane while attempting to call 911, police say.

Police investigators said while the unidentified woman frantically attempted to contact authorities this week after allegedly being beaten by her boyfriend, a Retriever Towing driver prepared to tow her car away, KPTV of Portland, Ore., said Wednesday.

The unidentified tow truck operator then charged the injured woman at least $360 to remove her vehicle from the towing harness, police allege.

A responding police deputy said his requests to the driver not to charge the woman Monday night were ignored.

Retriever Towing owner Gary Coe said his driver could have released the woman's vehicle and not issued a charge, but stood behind the driver's decision on the matter.

KPTV said the woman had left the car in the lane after driving to a friend's apartment following the alleged act of domestic violence.